1. Let me sing of my beloved, a song of my beloved, about His vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard in a very fertile hill.
2. He dug it out and cleared its stones, planted it with a choice vine, built a tower in the midst of it, and even cut out a winepress. He expected it to yield good grapes, but it yielded worthless grapes.
3. So now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, please judge between me and my vineyard.
4. What more was there to do for my vineyard that I have not done? Why then, when I expected it to yield good grapes, did it yield worthless grapes?
5. So now, I will make known to you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge, and it will be eaten up. I will break down the fence, and it will be trodden down.
6. I will lay it waste: it will not be pruned or hoed, but briers and thorns will come up. I will also command the clouds not to rain on it.
7. For the vineyard of Adonai-Tzva’ot is the house of Israel, and the people of Judah the planting of His delight. He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed, for righteousness, but behold, a cry!
8. Woe to those who join house to house and merge field to field, until there is no room, and you will live alone in the midst of the land!
9. In my ears, Adonai-Tzva’ot has said: “Surely many houses will be desolate— even grand and fine ones— with no occupants.”
10. Ten acres of vineyard will yield six gallons, and an omer of seed will yield one ephah.
11. Woe to those who rise up early in the morning— so they may pursue liquor, who stay up late at night, until wine inflames them!